Research Interests:

Our group has active research activities in optical and magnetic interactions in semiconductor quantum structures, spin dynamics and coherence in condensed matter systems ("spintronics"), macroscopic quantum phenomena in nanometer-scale magnets, and implementations of quantum computation in the solid state. We have developed a variety of low temperature femtosecond-resolved magneto-optical spatiotemporal spectroscopies aimed at exploring charge and spin motion in the quantum domain. Our work focuses on the physics of newly-developed mesoscopic magnetic/semiconducting systems, such as hybrid magnetic semiconductor heterostructures, chemically- synthesized nanostructures, zero-dimensional matter, and molecular systems.
Our main experimental techniques include low temperature femtosecond-resolved magneto-optical spectroscopies (to reveal the ultrafast spin dynamics in these systems), all-optical NMR, near-field scanning optical microscopy (for <100nm spatial resolution), microfabricated Hall-bar and SQUID magnetometry, integrated micromechanical magnetometers, and atomic- and magnetic-force microscopy.
Research details:

• Spin Dynamics and Coherence
• Near Field Optical Microscopy
• Physical Properties of Nanometer-scale Magnets
• Quantum Coherence and Computing

Creation and transport of coherent spin packets in GaAs nanostructures

Micromechanical cantilever magnetometers with integrated magnetic nanostructures

Selected Publications

• G. Salis, D. T. Fuchs, J. M. Kikkawa, D. D. Awschalom, Y. Ohno, and H. Ohno, “Optical Manipulation of Nuclear Spin by a Two-dimensional Electron Gas,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 2677 (2001).
• J. G. E. Harris, R. Knobel, K. D. Maranowski, A. C. Gossard, N. Samarth, and D. D. Awschalom, “Magnetization Measurements of Magnetic Two-dimensional Electron Gases,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4644 (2001).
• I. Malajovich, J. J. Berry, N. Samarth, and D. D. Awschalom, “Persistent Sourcing of Coherent Spins for Multifunctional Semiconductor Spintronics,” Nature 411, 770 (2001).
• J. A. Gupta, R. Knobel, N. Samarth, and D. D. Awschalom, “Ultrafast Manipulation of Electron Spin Coherence,” Science 292, 2458 (2001).
• R. K. Kawakami, Y. Kato, M. Hanson, I. Malajovich, J. M. Stephens, E. Johnston-Halperin, G. Salis, A. C. Gossard, and D. D. Awschalom, “Ferromagnetic Imprinting of Nuclear Spins in Semiconductors,” Science 294, 131 (2001).
• J.M. Kikkawa and D.D. Awschalom, "Lateral Drag of Spin Coherence in GaAs", Nature 397, 139 (1999).
• D. D. Awschalom and J. M. Kikkawa, "Electron Spin and Optical Coherence in Semiconductors," Invited Article, Physics Today 52, 33 (June, 1999).
• Y. Ohno, D. K. Young, B. Beschoten, F. Matsukura, H. Ohno, and D. D. Awschalom, "Electrical Spin Injection in a Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Heterostructure," Nature 402, 790 (1999).
• I. Malajovich, J. M. Kikkawa, D. D. Awschalom, J. J. Berry, and N. Samarth, "Coherent Transfer of Spin Through a Semiconductor Heterointerface," Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 1015 (2000).
• J.M. Kikkawa and D. D. Awschalom, "All-Optical Magnetic Resonance in Semiconductors," Science 287, 473 (2000).

Dr. Awschalom's complete list of publications

Biography

David D. Awschalom received his B.Sc. in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his Ph.D. in experimental physics from Cornell University. He was a Research Staff member and Manager of the Nonequilibrium Physics Department at the IBM Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. In 1991 he joined the University of California-Santa Barbara as a Professor of Physics, and is presently Director of the UC Center for Spintronics and Quantum Computation. His group has active research activities in optical and magnetic interactions in semiconductor quantum structures, spin dynamics and coherence in condensed matter systems, macroscopic quantum phenomena in nanometer-scale magnets, and implementations of quantum computation in the solid state. He has developed a variety of femtosecond-resolved spatiotemporal magneto-optical spectroscopies and micromagnetic sensing techniques aimed at exploring charge and spin motion in the quantum domain. This research has been presented in over 300 invited lectures and in over 200 scientific publications. Some of these discoveries have been described in the public press, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, Discover Magazine, Scientific American, and New Scientist. Professor Awschalom received an IBM Outstanding Innovation Award, the Outstanding Investigator Prize from the Materials Research Society, and was the Institute of Physics Wohlfarth Prize Lecturer. Dr. Awschalom is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Materials Research Society, and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.